FORWARD OPERATING BASE SPIN BOLDAK, Afghanistan – The first all Afghan Border Police class for the Explosive Hazard Reduction Course graduated, Oct. 22, at Camp Hero, Afghanistan.
The course was designed to increase the explosive ordinance capabilities for the patrolmen. It is open to all Afghan forces, but this was the first class where the instructors were ABP instead of Afghan National Army.
“This course is normally instructed by the ANA for the ANA,” said Master Sgt. Jason Mullennix, the sergeant major mentor for the 3rd Zone ABP. “The ABP do not get many slots, so we pushed to increase explosive ordinance disposal capabilities for the ABP.”
Many EHRC classes have been conducted prior to this one, but the ABP-only class was devised to help reduce the threat of improvised explosive devices within their area of operation.
“The significance of increased class size is that it gives the ABP the ability to take care of IEDs they find on patrols,” Mullennix said. “It increases their effectiveness and mobility along the border and gives them limited ‘blow in place’ capability.”
The graduation ceremony started off with a demonstration of the proper procedure to locate and dispose of a mock IED using a four-pound charge.
Candidates must be recommended by their commanders in order to attend the course.
One of the graduates, Mirwaise Jamalidin, the commander of guards, 5th Kandak, 3rd Zone ABP, said the course provided an opportunity for him to do something great for his country.
“I am very happy today,” Mirwaise said. “I am proud to graduate from the academy and use the training to protect my country.”
Mirwaise thanked the American and Australian forces and instructors for the specialized training he received. He hopes to be a role model for his patrolmen.
“I am going to go back to my unit and teach my subordinates what I learned from the academy,” Mirwaise said. “I want to train them the right way on how to eliminate the threat of IEDs in our country.”